The Effect of Salinity Reduction Treatment on Chemical Properties from Green Caviar (Caulerpa lentillifera)

Abstract

The objective of this research was to study the effects of blanching at 100 degrees Celsius (5, 10 and 15 minutes) and saline solution soaking (1, 2 and 3 days) on chemical composition, sodium content, iodine content, oxidative properties and total phenolic content of green caviar (Caulerpa lentillifera), as well as the
salinity values of water after blanching or immersed by conductivity meter and sensory different test using the Triangle test. The results showed that blanching had no significant effect on the fiber and ash content (p0.05). The longer blanching resulted dramatically decreasing in protein content, sodium, and oxidation properties. The soaking had no significant effect on protein, fat, crude fiber, ash, and moisture content (p0.05). However, the soaking had much lower effect on sodium content of green caviar than blanching. Soaking can decrease sodium content of the green caviar as high as 31.03-48.27%, iodine content lower (2.08- 8.05%), antioxidant capacity lower (0.09-4.87%), total phenolic content lower (1.01-1.68%) than fresh green caviar. However, the conductivity of the water after soaking the green caviar for 3 days (1,890 µS / cm) is close to the conductivity of the tap water, same as the result from sensory tests. From the research indicated that soaking is more suitable to reduce the salinity of green caviar than blanching.